COOKING QUALITY OF COWPEA GENOTYPES

The preparation methods influence the sensory quality and nutritional value of the food. Longer cooking times can be a major obstacle to acceptance and wider use of the grain, and result in a reduction in the nutritional value of the protein. This study aimed to evaluate the cooking quality of cowpea genotypes. A total of 100 genotypes (97 lines and three cultivars) were evaluated in a completely randomized design with three replications, from the preliminary trial of the Embrapa Meio-Norte cowpea breeding program under irrigated conditions, in the 2018 agricultural year. Grain samples from each genotype were randomly selected and then analyzed at Embrapa Meio-Norte, in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil. The grains were cooked in an electric pressure cooker and then the percentage of cooked grains was determined with the support of the Mattson cooker. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and means grouped by the Tocher test, with the intergroup distance limit of 5%. Significant differences (p <0.01) were observed between genotypes, indicating the existence of genetic variability and the possibility of gain with selection. The genotypes were grouped in twenty groups by the Tocher test, the group being the one with the highest average, therefore the highest percentage of perforated grains, indicating better cooking quality, especially MNC11-1005E-20, MNC11-1006E-10, MNC11-1013E-8, MNC11-1015E-7, MNC11-1034E-1 and Pingo de Ouro 1-2 lines averaged 24.5 perforated grains, equivalent to 98% of cooked grains. The lines with the lowest cooking quality were MNC11-1024E-1 and MNC11-1052E-3, allocated to group t, with an average of 05 perforated grains, making up 20% of cooked grains, indicating that a longer time is needed of cooking for these genotypes. Therefore, lines with high cooking quality are promising for the selection of new cowpea cultivars with high cooking quality.